reading glasses

Who will do the fitting, I've never bought a pr of specs yet without having to have them fitted and I go back many times when they work loose to have them refitted.

I've had loads of specs from 'glassesdirect.com'. They originally were very cheap but the prices have crept up now and also there isn't such a good choice of cheaper glasses.

However, the service has always been very efficient. You just have to read your prescription over the phone to them (or online).
As for the measurements, I just used a pair that fitted well, and copied the relevant measurements.

My varifocals though are from a good optician and cost a LOT!

narg it really depends on what type of reading glasses you need. Baubles is right in saying that an optician is the best person to advise you. You can take your prescription to any optician and get several quotes if price is an issue and there are often BOGOF offers.

I have a complicated prescription and need reading specs too. I usually wear expensive contacts with a pair of cheap magnifiers when reading My optician says this is fine as I can then have a pair in my bag and in each room and so will not try to read without them causing eye strain. I even got a pair of tinted ones for reading in the sun!
I also have varifocals for when I don't wear my contacts and bedside reading glasses which have lenses that are just the reading bit of the varifocal...can't get out of bed when wearing them though because I fall over!

Just as you need different shoes for different occasions you need different glasses too....the optician should take your usual lifestyle into consideration when advising you.

I always buy these from my optician because I would rather not skimp where my health is concerned....tried the internet once and the measuring bit is so complicated that I gave up.

Thanks for that Baubles. I can confirm that since having my prescription glasses and had them fitted properly as in your article,.. I have not had a 'fuzzy' head after work and I don't look so tired as I usually do!

Copied & pasted this, but it is true that off the shelf readers or inaccurately measured specs can cause eyestrain. A pair of prescription reading glasses can be bought in a high street opticians for £25 or less. It's worth having a look around.

Great Vision Requires Accurate PD Measurement

The optical center of your eyeglass lenses is the part that gives you the truest vision, and it should be directly in front of your pupils. To determine how to place the lenses in your frames so the optical center is customized for your eyes, the eyeglasses lab needs to know the distance between your pupils, or PD.

It can be tricky to measure your own PD, somewhat akin to trying to cut your own hair. Dispensers need lots of practice to be able to measure PDs correctly, and even experienced opticians have difficulty taking their own in a mirror.

Most online optical providers present you with several ways to go about this important task. Some suggest the simplest method, which is to have your prescribing eye doctor or an optician take the measurement for you. Alternatively, they offer step-by-step explanations of how to take your own PD in the mirror, or how to have a friend take it for you.

The way that eyeglasses fit your face and head is another important issue. Frames that are too large or that don't fit the bridge of your nose properly can slip. Not only is that uncomfortable, but you also can get a headache if you're not looking through the optical centers of the lenses.

Unskilled at choosing your own glasses? At brick-and-mortar stores, an optician is there to help you.
Alternatively, if your glasses are too small, they will be uncomfortable to wear; they can pinch the sides of your head and leave red marks on your temples. They also can cause discomfort behind your ears or on your nose.

It can be challenging to try to fit yourself with eyeglasses, but some online stores offer tips. One site suggests that you select eyeglasses in a size that is close to your current glasses, or that you measure your head with a measuring tape or use your hat size as a reference.

It's important to note that the prescription strength and weight of your lenses also play into whether your eyeglasses will be comfortable and look good.

I had to get proper ones from the optician because my right eye needed a 2 and my left eye a 3!
I did used to buy cheap ones from Asda in 2.5 but it was causing me strain for my eyes to balance it out.
Online I found someone who would do different lenses in each eye - but as I said earlier - they were really cheap and nasty.

Proper ones have really made a difference.

Fortunately I only need standard 1.75 reading glasses so I just by cheap off the shelf ones for a few pounds (even cheaper in the far East) and keep a pair in every room and in the car. Yes they do break after a time, especially the folding ones, but since they are cheap it does not really matter.

The cheap reading glasses I bought online didn't last very long. On the other hand, I still buy fairly cheap simple magnifying ones and just scatter them around the house, at least one pair in each room and one or two in my handbag. That means I can usually lay my hands On some fairly quickly. The very first pair I had were from the optician and were stupidly expensive, I think he took advantage of my complete panic that I needed reading glasses at all. I was only 41 and thought that my dotage had suddenly arrived! I've recovered my senses in the following 20+ years!

I bought a pair of reading glasses online a couple of years ago and they were absolute rubbish - poor quality - They broke within a fortnight and they replaced them for free - but those broke too!

I now get them from Specsavers and they are great.

I always find specsave frames very reasonable. They often have offers. Last two pairs I bought I got free reactor light lenses on one pair.

...and you also need to get them fitted as well. One of my pairs broke the other week and I just took them back to the shop where they were repaired straight away.

I always buy my glasses from Boots as there's a girl there that loves choosing the right frame [and there's usually a two for one offer].

Hello narg I haven't personally, but I have heard very reports about www.glassesdirect.co.uk/